Warning! Spoilers for Moon Knight ahead.

The latest Disney+ series Moon Knight is promising to be a strong addition to MCU - in large part due to how disconnected it is from the larger universe. Actor Oscar Isaac shines as Steven Grant/Marc Spector in a role that is allowing him to reveal his range. The premiere episode was directed by Justin Benson, Mohamed Diab, and Aaron Moorhead, and written by Jeremy Slater, and set up a number of mysteries likely to be explored over the course of the series.

Moon Knight is also notable for its representation of Split, for example - but Moon Knight seems to be making a concerted effort to toe the line in this case.

Related: Moon Knight: Who Is Duchamp? Marvel Comics Link & Origin

The emphasis placed on Marc Spector's DID is certainly one aspect that set Moon Knight apart from how heroes have been portrayed and introduced thus far in the MCU, but it's far from the only way Marvel is changing things up with this outing. A skipped opportunity to mention Thanos in the premiere episode certainly seemed like a purposeful omission by Marvel, and Moon Knight producer Grant Curtis has said that previous MCU knowledge isn't necessary to enjoy the show. Ultimately, there are a few reasons a lack of immediate connection to the greater MCU is for the benefit of the series.

Why Moon Knight Doesn't Feel Like an MCU Show

Moon Knight is a character study

It's worth noting that Moon Knight is the first Disney+ MCU outing not to lean heavily on established characters. nods to Marvel comics, it was blissfully free of references to Avengers, the multiverse, and the Blip. Instead, the show zeroed in on Marc Spector's alter Steven Grant, a man struggling to understand the events happening around him.

Because Moon Knight is, from its opening moments, unfamiliar to Marvel moviegoers in a way few Marvel properties are in modern times, the show is unburdened by audience expectation. Even Hawkeye, a stellar show by almost all s, suffered on some level from the impatience of audiences expecting Yelena Bolova or Kingpin to show up around every corner. Of course, in the MCU anything is possible, but in a world with Spider-Man team-ups and the impending Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a Moon Knight show focused solely on Moon Knight feels fresh in the best ways.

Moon Knight Avoids the MCU Copycat Origin Problem

Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight

Similar to the way the series took a turn from Iron Man in 2008, Marvel heroes have been known to start off weak in some way, gain powers, and eventually face a villain with a similar or mirrored skillset. Whether it's Iron Man vs. Obidiah Stane, Captain America vs. Red Skull, Doctor Strange vs. Kaecilius, or Shang-Chi vs. Xu Wenwu, Marvel has told a similar story time and time again.

Related: What The Bird Skull Monster In Moon Knight Is (& Is It Real?)

All of the above-mentioned films are great creative and commercial successes, of course, and their similarities are in part a necessity of film structure. It's worth noting that redefining the MCU, became a divisive film even though it was one of the few to tell a new kind of origin story. As the first Disney+ origin story free of larger MCU ties, Moon Knight can introduce Marc Spector in a deeper and more fulfilling way.

Disney+ Means Moon Knight Gets More Space To Develop

Oscar Isaac as Steven Grant in Moon Knight

Oscar Isaac described Moon Knight as Marvel's first legitimate character study since Iron Man. This makes sense, as Iron Man essentially invented the MCU origin story film and Moon Knight is in a position to do the same for Disney+. As Moon Knight's first season will have a total of six episodes, audiences will spend double the time with the character that they would if the story was told on film. This affords Moon Knight the luxury of setting up mysteries (such as the unexplained voice in Moon Knight's head) and leaving audiences in suspense in a way that's sure to be incredibly rewarding later.

Giving more space to explore Marc Spector's head also gives the chance for Moon Knight to portray his DID in a less constrained manner. If the show is indeed a character study as Isaac says, Marc Spector and his alters will likely be explored on a deeper level than would be possible in a two-plus-hour film. This not only provides plenty of interesting ways to tell the story, as already seen in episode 1, but also gives Moon Knight more room to tastefully and fairly depict Spector's condition.

Why Moon Knight Shouldn't Be An Avenger... Yet

Moon Knight Steven Scarab Alps

There may already be a Black Panther link in Moon Knight, but it would be to the benefit of the character to hold off on becoming an Avenger. Even in its first episode, Moon Knight has established a tone that's different from and even edgier than most of the other MCU films and shows. Sitting somewhere in between the darker Netflix shows of a few years ago and the quippy action comedies many movie fans have come to expect, Moon Knight occupies a unique space that it should fully explore before bringing the character into the Avengers dynamic. It would likely be jarring to see Marc Spector spend a lot of time around Scott Lang, Star-Lord, or even Kate Bisop.

Marvel and Kevin Feige always have a plan, however, and it's possible that Marc Spector will stay out of Avengers business until there are more characters he's better suited to work with. Oscar Isaac has mentioned he'd like Moon Knight to interact with Daredevil and the Punisher, and a team-up on that level certainly makes more sense at first glance. As Matt Murdock only recently appeared in the MCU and the Punisher hasn't even been teased, it may be a while before such a team-up would even be a possibility. Until then, however, audiences have a wonderful chance to see Moon Knight on his own merit.

Next: Moon Knight's 5 Multiple Personalities Explained

New episodes of Moon Knight are released on Wednesdays on Disney+.

Key Release Dates